Greyson O'Connor Stevens

What a journey the last 9 months has been!

* 17 weeks we found out we were having another boy

* 18 weeks was placed on limited activity due to a incomplete cervix (thank you Cole!)

* 21 weeks my cervix is now .9cm and it should be 3 to 5cm. Refereed to a specialist

* 21 weeks hospitalized for contraction monitoring and placed on 100% bed rest

* 22 weeks emergency surgery to receive a cerclage

* 22 to 28 weeks complete bed rest. I can take a shower, go to the bathroom, go downstairs for meals that's it!

* 30 weeks hospitalized due to preterm labor. Received turbine (spelling) to stop contractions. I was sent home after three days with more bed rest and medicine to relax my uterus
* 29 to 36 weeks limited activity. I can go places as long as I stay seated and I don't have to walk far. Absolutely no picking up Cole or doing anything strenuous

* 36 weeks I had the cerclage removed. Not a fun moment in my life is all I will say about the procedure

* 36 weeks + I can go back to my normal life until our son is born

The average pregnancy length for a woman with a cerclage is 33 weeks.

I made it to 40 weeks 5 days!

I was beginning to get frustrated towards the end of my pregnancy. I had prepared myself for a preemie baby, then a preterm baby, then a full term baby...I was not ready to prepare myself for a past due baby! However, my son had other plans and being past due was his plan!!

On Sunday September 12th, I meet a good friend Jenn at the park with her two boys for a play date. I was having contractions the entire time but nothing big and they were not getting stronger so I didn't say anything. When I got home I laid down to time them. The contractions were 4 minutes apart but not painful. After two more hours they had stopped. I woke up Monday September 13th, at 6:00am with more mild contractions. Once again they weren't strong but they were 4 minutes apart. I took a shower, ate breakfast and played with Cole. They maintained 4 minutes apart and by 10am they were a little stronger but nothing I'd consider painful. I called my OB (after my sister and friend, M hounded me all morning) and they said to go in to get checked at the hospital. My mom and I dropped Cole off at my aunts and off to the hospital we went. On the ride there I kept telling my mom they were going to turn me away because I wasn't in true labor yet. I always thought it would be painful. I get to the hospital, they check me (around noon) and I am 4cm dilated and 90% effaced...I was being admitted and we were going to have a baby today. I called Brian to leave work. I was still in shock because I wasn't in any pain and I thought I'd be in pain! My doctor wanted to speed things up so he ordered me an epidural (received at 3:30) and promptly there after they broke my water. At 4pm they gave me 1 dose of pitocin and at 5pm I was ready to push. With Cole I had pushed for two hours so I was ready for another marathon pushing session...nope after 6 sets of pushes (some small pushes to give the doctor time to get in position) Greyson O'Connor Stevens came into the world crying! He weighed 8lbs 2oz and was 20.5" long. He was perfect in every way!

I couldn't help but cry when meeting Greyson. I had worked so hard to keep him in my tummy the last 20 weeks that it seemed surreal he was finally in my arms fat, healthy and past due!!!

Happy Birthday, Greyson O'Connor Stevens

This picture means a lot to me since this is the moment my grandma June found out Greyson was named after her.

It's been to long...

First, I want to apologize for not posting anything for months. I thought being on bed rest I would document my thoughts, feelings, experiences but the opposite happened. I didn't want to talk about it, write about it or think about it. I thought bed rest was going to be easy but the truth is it SUCKED! It sucked so bad I have second guessed having a third child (and I've always wanted a big family). It's not that I can't handle bed rest. The part that ate at my heart was not being able to do all I wanted, intended too with Cole. I felt like I short changed him 5 months of his life. I know in the grand scheme of things this is not true but at the moment I hated it and cried many times over it.

I am forever grateful for my family and friends who kept me entertained, laughing when I was in the hospital, bringing me food when I was hungry, my neighbors and fellow LDS friends who walked Zabdack all 5 months for me and all for the survival of my son. Not once did any of these amazing people ask for anything in return. I felt a love like I never have during this process.

Our son is finally here but I'll get to that post shortly!

Thank you will never be enough to express how thankful I am for the family and friends I have in my life!